U.S. Cyber National Mission Force Commander U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William J. Hartman met Tuesday with Bulgaria’s Chief of Defense, Adm. Emil Eftimov, in the nation’s capital, Sofia.

The engagement was an opportunity for both leaders to discuss the assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Defense and the evolution of Bulgaria’s capabilities in cyber defense. Engagements between our two nations promote interoperability and mutual understanding of our shared cyber security threats.

During the key leader engagement, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Hartman discussed U.S. assistance and its aim to enhance the readiness of both nations’ cyber defense forces. Hartman spoke about the integration of cyber defense units to improve interoperability and monitoring cyber threats.

The importance of cyber defense is evident by its inclusion as a separate domain in Bulgaria’s 10-year roadmap, Bulgarian Adm. Eftimov emphasized. He also emphasized the Bulgarian Armed Forces efforts to recruit and retain expert personnel in this highly competitive domain. Both leaders acknowledged the impact of malicious cyber activity on their governments and the need for shared expertise when discussing the building of specialized cyber defense training facilities.

Hartman added the U.S. Cyber National Mission Force is committed to maintaining fruitful partnerships and will continue to share its cyber defense expertise, insights, and lessons learned in countering cyber threats.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence contributed to this release.